Rumors
by EudaimonArisornae
Summary: Spoiler warning, post-Enies Lobby. After coming together, Franky and Robin attempt to conceal their relationship from the rest of the crew. However, it doesn't take long for some of their fellow crewmates to catch on. Franky/Robin. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Rumors

Rating: T (May be changed to M in future chapters.)

Author: EudaimonArisornae

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

**WARNING:**_**SPOILERS up to episode 324**_. This is set to take place immediately after**episode 324**.

**A/N:** Any details regarding the new ship are my own ideas, since the layout of the ship hasn't been shown yet in the anime.

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Chapter 1

The first night aboard the Thousand Sunny was filled with laughter and celebration. The Strawhat Pirates carried out their festivities until the late hours of the night to commemorate their new ship and their new nakama.

Franky's apprehension about leaving Water 7 was quickly forgotten as he found himself being caught up in the celebration. His new crewmates' enthusiasm was contagious, and as the night progressed, Franky felt his excitement growing in anticipation of the upcoming adventures across the Grand Line.

Yet amidst the revelry, he started to become aware of a growing anxiety toward a particular crewmate… Nico Robin.

Throughout the soiree, Franky kept stealing glances in her direction, trying to figure out the reason for his unfounded antagonism. Other than a faint smile that lingered on her lips throughout the entire evening, Robin's expression remained indecipherable. She had not spoken to him directly since he boarded the Thousand Sunny, nor had he tried to speak to her.

At some point during the night, Luffy cracked a joke around Robin's contribution toward persuading Franky to join the crew. Franky realized that perhaps it was the source of his animosity. After all, it was rather debasing having her hands sprout from his thighs to squeeze his cojones.

_I'll confront her about it later_, he thought wryly.

Yet sometime late in the night, Robin slipped away without saying a word. When she didn't return for a considerable amount of time, Franky realized that she may have gone to sleep.

Suddenly the desire to continue the celebration left him. "Everyone," he announced abruptly, lifting his mug high in the air. "This is has been a super party! But now, I think I'm going to have to get some rest."

"No way, Franky!" Luffy protested loudly. "You can't sleep yet!"

Franky grinned and crossed his large arms across his chest. "I've barely slept while I've been building this ship. I'm completely exhausted!"

"Aw, come on!" Luffy cried out.

"Just a little longer, Franky!" Chopper chimed in.

Nami lightly smacked Luffy across the head. "Idiot, he can do what he wants to. We should all get some sleep pretty soon, anyway."

"But Nami, it's way too early to go to sleep!" Luffy argued.

"Early? The sun will be up in a couple of hours!" she yelled back at him.

Franky quickly backed away while Luffy and Nami continued shouting at each other. He quickly disappeared below deck and slipped into the first room he passed.

The room he had entered was the intended to be a workshop. A corner of the room was filled with scrap metal for future weapons. An equally large pile of spare timber was stacked next to the scrap metal.

The men had their own separate barracks, complete with an assortment of comfortable beds, but he decided to try to rest in the deserted room instead. He had a feeling that when Luffy and the others went to sleep, they were going to make a lot of noise.

Leaning back in a chair with his arms crossed behind his head, Franky attempted to fall asleep. Yet at the minutes ticked by, he realized that sleep was not going to come. Every time he began to feel drowsy, he thought of Robin, and the feeling of anxiety returned.

"Dammit," he cursed under his breath, jumping to his feet. "I'm not going to be able to sleep until I talk to her."

He quickly slipped out of the door and rushed toward Robin's room, hoping that he would not run into anyone else.

With each step toward her door, he felt his pulse quicken. He wasn't sure why he felt such a strong and irrational compulsion to confront her, but Franky had a tendency to act on impulse.

When he reached her door, he knocked on the door rapidly, hoping that she was still awake.

"Come in," Robin called.

Franky took a deep breath and opened the door. Robin was sitting in a chair near the window with an open book resting in her lap. She was still wearing the same clothes from earlier; a pair of black capris and a pale violet button-down shirt.

When she saw it was him, she smiled at him warmly. "Hello," she greeted, beckoning him to come in.

Wordlessly, Franky stepped inside the small bedroom. Robin studied him for a few moments, observing his conflicted expression for a moment. "What's wrong?" she asked finally, the smile fading from her lips.

"Nico Robin," he said flatly, "Don't think that I'm not still angry about what you did earlier."


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Rumors

Rating: T (May be changed to M in future chapters.)

Author: EudaimonArisornae

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

**WARNING: **_**SPOILERS up to episode 324**_This is set to take place immediately after **episode 324**.

**A/N:** Any details regarding the new ship are my own ideas, since the layout of the ship hasn't been shown yet in the anime.

Chapter 2

Robin closed the book on her lap and stared up at Franky in surprise. "Could you please explain what you mean?" she asked him.

"Just what I said," he replied with irritation. "I haven't forgiven you for what you did to me earlier." He closed the door behind him so that no one could overhear the conversation.

Robin set the book down on the table next to her and stood up. "And what is that?" she asked dubiously, crossing her arms.

"What you did to me when my trunks were stolen," he told her, his frown deepening.

The corner of her mouth turned up in amusement. "I'm assuming you're referring to me gripping you by the balls," she said coolly.

"Yes," Franky snapped.

"And yet," Robin continued, "My actions contributed to you to joining the crew, which is exactly what you wanted to do. Why are you angry with me over that?"

"Because of your method," he grimaced. "It was humiliating!"

Robin smiled. "And running around the town half-naked wasn't? I was only doing what everyone else was doing—trying to get you to come with us."

"Yeah, but grabbing my…" he trailed off. "You don't just do that kind of thing. It's shameful!"

"But you're here with us, and that's what's important," she replied. "If you want an apology, I'm not going to apologize just for that."

Franky sighed loudly. "I'm not asking for an apology," he fumed.

Robin tilted her head slightly. "What is it you want then?"

"I just—I don't know!" he replied, throwing his hands up in the air.

She looked at him skeptically. "I don't know what to tell you," she said with caution.

Franky sighed again. "Look, I guess I'm just a bit rattled by what happened. I don't know why I'm so wound up right now."

Robin's face softened. "I'm sorry that I made you feel uncomfortable," she said finally. "I won't apologize for doing what I thought was necessary to make you come along—but I am sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable."

Franky blinked in surprise, unsure of how to respond. The black-haired woman continued to study him, and finally, she spoke again.

"That's not really what's bothering you, is it?" she asked, frowning.

Franky nervously scratched the side of his head. "What do you mean?"

"What I did to you earlier might have addled or upset you, but I don't think it's the underlying cause," she speculated.

He averted his gaze from her. Her apology had not eased any of his anxiety. In fact, the exact opposite reaction had happened. Something more than just the earlier incident was bothering him, but the root of that disturbance was difficult to identify.

"Do you like the room?" Franky asked her, quickly trying to change the subject.

Her cool gaze remained fixed on him. "Yes, it's lovely."

"I'm glad you choose this one."

"Why is that?" she asked.

"Because I had you in mind when I made it," he blurted.

A flicker of surprise crossed her face. "You did?" She turned away from him and began to look around the room.

"I know that you and your navigator, Nami, shared a room on the old ship, but I figured you'd both want you own room. I made hers to accommodate map drafting and yours—"

"—And mine with bookshelves," she finished, her tone filled with astonishment. She gazed at the wall across from her bed. Tall bookshelves had been built into the wall.

"Yeah," Franky grinned. "The little reindeer told me you liked books."

Robin turned back toward him, her eyes wide. "I had no idea," she said softly. "When Nami saw the room across the hall, she immediately claimed it. She said it would be a perfect place for her to draw and store her maps."

"Glad she liked it," Franky said.

"And when I came into this room," Robin continued, "I knew it was perfect. The bookcases, the chair by the window, and the small desk… It's exactly what I would have chosen myself." She looked back at him.

Franky met her gaze and stared into her light blue eyes. He realized that they were brimming with tears. "Thank you, Franky. No one has ever put this much thought into something for me before," she said gratefully.

At that moment, he realized the real reason for his anxiety toward Robin. His throat tightened as Robin continued to beam at him graciously.

Without thinking of the consequences, he stepped toward her and pulled her into a close embrace.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Rumors

Rating: T (Will be changed to M starting with Chapter 4.)

Author: EudaimonArisornae

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

**WARNING: **_**SPOILERS up to episode 324**_This is set to take place immediately after **episode 324**.

**A/N:** _Any details regarding the new ship are my own ideas, since the layout of the ship hasn't been shown yet in the anime. Any speculation regarding the nature of Franky's cyborg body are speculation as well._

Chapter 3

Robin gasped in surprised as he embraced her. Franky held her gently in his arms, and his eyes began to fill with tears. She did not return the embrace, but he still wanted to be near her for just a few more precious seconds.

Finally, with great reluctance, he released her. Embarrassed, he looked down at the ground and took a few steps backwards toward the door.

"Sorry," Franky mumbled, turning to leave.

"Wait," Robin said quietly, just as he extended his hand toward the doorknob.

He turned around and faced her, tears openly running down his cheeks. "What?"

"You're crying," she pointed out.

"I'm not crying," he defended, quickly wiping away his tears.

"Tell me what's wrong," Robin insisted.

He shook his head slowly. "Absolutely nothing. I'm super," he said, although Robin immediately noticed that his 'super' was lacking its usual zest.

"I'm gonna go ahead and let you rest," Franky said finally.

"You should stay a while," Robin said lightly. "I'm not actually tired—I only came down here because I wanted to put away my things."

"Everyone else is still awake up on the deck," Franky informed her. "Go join them."

"I'd rather stay in here. I would certainly appreciate the company…" she trailed off, and once again, his gaze met hers.

"Alright," he agreed, unable to resist her inviting smile. He knew he was going to regret it. "Just for a little while."

Robin walked over to her bed. "Come sit," she said, taking a seat on the mattress.

"Ah—okay," he said. He nervously took a seat next to her, taking care to leave a considerable amount of space between the two of them.

She neatly folded her hands across her lap and turned to him. "Franky, do you think you could be honest with me?" she asked quietly.

He felt his heart start to race again. "That probably depends on what you're asking," he laughed nervously.

"I won't ask you any questions," she told him. "I meant it to be a bit more generalized."

Franky sat with his elbows resting on his knees, starting at the ground. He didn't entirely understand the point she was trying to make, but he kept silent.

"I'm a bit surprised that you came here tonight."

Franky still remained silent.

"Actually, you're surprised me several times since I've met you, Franky," she mused.

Franky smirked. _I think I may have surprised myself a couple times_, he thought ruefully.

He already felt uncomfortable being alone in the room with her, and the frequent awkward silences were acting as a catalyst to his paranoia. He silently cursed himself for not realizing the problem before he stormed into her room.

If Franky had realized his attraction to Robin, he would have never put himself in a position to be alone with her.

Despite Franky's uneasiness, Robin seemed perfectly content with the silence. She turned her attention back to her bookshelves. "It's going to take quite a while to collect enough books to fill it," Robin smiled proudly.

Franky leaned back slightly, setting his hands on either side of himself. He glanced in the direction of the bookshelves, too preoccupied to fully pay attention to Robin's words.

He decided that it was necessary for him to make an excuse to leave right away. He desperately wanted to stay near Robin, but he no longer trusted himself to refrain from doing anything irrevocable.

Franky was so lost in his uneasy thoughts that he didn't notice as Robin moved slightly closer to him on the bed.

Finally, he decided he needed to leave. He quickly turned toward Robin and opened his mouth to make an excuse to get out of there.

The words died in his throat as he realized she had set her hand on top of his.

He quickly turned his hand around and grasped her small hand in his own, taking care not to squeeze too hard. Then he looked up and met her searching eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said finally. "I didn't realize until I looked over here. "My sense of touch is… It's a little bit dull."

She smiled disarmingly. "I presumed as much. You don't need to apologize for it."

Franky scratched the side of his head with his free hand. "It's usually a good thing because I can't feel pain in most parts of my body. Sometimes it's a little inconvenient, though."

"But you can feel something?"

He nodded affirmatively. "It's a little hard to explain. What I can feel on the altered parts of my body isn't like what human skin feels. Kind of like how moving the steel parts of my body isn't like moving human parts." He shrugged. "You get used to it after a while."

"And when it's a light touch, it's difficult to percept," she surmised.

"Yeah," he said. "It rattles some people, actually."

"Most people aren't sensitive to the differences in others," Robin acknowledged. "It doesn't matter if it's metal or flesh." She casually leaned closer to him until she was nearly touching the side of his arm. A distant look crossed her face. "Since I was a child, I was taunted for my own differences."

Franky let go of her hand and put his arm around her shoulders comfortingly. "Well, they better not say anything like that in front of me," he declared. "I'll give them what's coming to them."

Her calm blue eyes looked up at him in amusement. Franky felt his last wall of self-restraint crumbing as he felt himself pulling her slightly closer.

_What can I say_, he thought to himself. _I've always been impulsive._

He leaned over and pressed his lips against hers. To his relief, Robin returned the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he gently put his arms around her back, pulling her closer.

Her warm hands gently brushed against the nape of his neck, an area where he could feel the full extent of her gentle caress. Hungrily, he deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue into her mouth. He felt his excitement grow as her tongue brushed softly against his own.

After a few minutes, the pair reluctantly pulled their mouths away from each other.

"You know, that was actually the problem," Franky confessed. He stayed close to her face so that his forehead was nearly brushing hers.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, confused at the random remark.

"When I came in here, that was what was bothering me. I didn't realize it after I started talking to you though," he admitted nervously.

Robin smiled and brushed the side of his cheek with her hand. He closed his eyes, concentrating on her hands on his skin so that he didn't miss the delicate touch. "That's why I told you to be honest with me, Franky. There's no need to keep something like that from me."

"I guess I should listen to you from now on," he mused. Before she could reply, he kissed her again.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Rumors

Rating: M

Author: EudaimonArisornae

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

**WARNING: **_**SPOILERS up to episode 324**_This is set to take place immediately after **episode 324**.

**A/N:** _Contains a lemon. If you want to avoid the lemon, skip to the end of Chapter 5._

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Chapter 4

Franky kissed Robin ardently, pressing his body tightly against her own. A quiet moan of pleasure escaped her throat as he provocatively slid his tongue over hers. He felt her fingernails lightly rake his back, and he let out his own blissful groan.

Briefly, they pulled their lips apart, and Franky took in her appearance. Her cheeks were flushed, and her silky black hair was slightly tousled. He grinned and slid his hand behind her head, pulling her closer to him again.

"Nico Robin," he whispered, his lips nearly touching hers.

"You don't need to keep calling me by my entire name," she replied silkily, her warm breath against his lips sending a shiver down his spine.

"It had a nice ring to it, though," He chuckled and kissed her softly. "But if you prefer, then I'll stick to just Robin." Then he pulled her into an embrace, and she buried her face in his neck.

He felt her soft lips plant fervent kisses on the side of his neck, and a hot rush stirred in his groin. She shifted her position until she was sitting on his lap.

Ignoring the fact that his trunks were barely sufficient to hide his growing erection, he put his arms around her to hold her closer. She pulled her face away from his neck, and he quickly took the opportunity to resume kissing her.

He glided his hands down her sides tenderly, enjoying the pleasurable noises that she made when he touched her. Even steel hands could appreciate her delicate curves.

Even when she touched his arms and chest so lightly that he couldn't detect it, the thought of her hands rubbing against him was arousing.

As his tongue continued to explore her sweet mouth, she shifted her position again, rubbing slightly against his member. Their lips parted as he gasped in surprise.

Robin smiled coyly and shifted her legs so that she was straddling his lap. "Is this alright?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah," Franky affirmed.

Robin looked at him with amusement. She lifted her hands to the front of her blouse and slowly unbuttoned the first button.

He raised an eyebrow at her as she started to undo the second button, exposing her brassiere.

"How about this?" she whispered, unbuttoning another button.

"Super," he grinned, noticing that her undergarments were a deep violet color. With great effort, he looked away from her chest and made eye contact with her again. "You sure about all this?"

Robin smiled, undoing the last few buttons. With the slightest shift of her shoulders, she slid the shirt off of her back. "Yes," she said simply.

Unable to control himself any longer, he gazed down at her breasts again and extended his arms toward them. The violet brassiere complimented her creamy white skin. As he cupped one side of her breasts, she reached forward and grabbed onto the thick gold chain that was hanging around Franky's neck and yanked him forward into a kiss.

When they broke apart, he realized that she was sliding the heavy chain off of his head. She hung it on one of the bedposts. "It's a bit cumbersome," she explained. Then she leaned forward and kissed him again.

Franky hungrily crushed his lips against her mouth, desperately wanting his tongue to mingle with hers. He pulled her body against his chest, moaning with pleasure as she pressed slightly against his erection.

She slid his shirt off his shoulders and ran her hands along his sides and back. He inhaled sharply as her nails made contact with the sensitive flesh on his back.

He nuzzled her neck and nibbled at the skin gently. Robin gasped and threw her head back. Encouraged by her reaction, Franky continued kissing her neck and then slowly began to move downward. He moved to her shoulder and then to her collarbone, alternating between kissing and delicately grazing his teeth across her skin.

Robin tangled her fingers in his hair, clutching the blue tendrils tightly. He was surprised that even her fingers entwined with his hair felt pleasurable. Hungrily, his kisses explored even lower, until his lips made contact with her breasts.

The skin was unbearably soft against his lips, and Franky wanted more. As if reading his mind, Robin reached around behind her and began unfastening her brassiere.

Eagerly, Franky helped her pull off the cumbersome undergarment and quickly moved his mouth back to her breasts.

Robin moaned. He became aware of a slight sensation on his leg. When he glanced down, he saw that she was slowly working her hand up his thigh. He shuddered in anticipation, and moved his mouth onto her nipples. Robin's hand glided over his erection and began to massage him.

"Mmphh—ohh," he groaned loudly, his voice slightly muffled.

"You know," Robin mused, "the first time I grabbed your balls, you told me you're never forgive me." She sounded slightly short of breath. Dexterously, she shifted her fingers to his testicles and stroked them. "Have you reconsidered?" Although Franky couldn't see her expression, the amusement in her voice was blatant.

He hesitantly pulled away from her breasts, not yet wanting to break contact with them. He sat up and looked at her as she continued to stroke him.

"To be truthful, I never meant it in the first place," he grinned.

She returned the smile. "I'm glad that's the case."

"Robin," he started, carefully brushing a few stray hands of hair from her face. He cupped her jaw in his large hand.

"Yes?"

"I want you," he declared. He kissed her lustfully, holding the back of her head so that she couldn't break away from the kiss until he was finished. Her tongue zealously met with his.

"I figured as much," she remarked smugly when he finally let her pull away. Her hand innocently brushed against his groin. She abruptly began to back away from his lap.

"Hey, hold on," he protested. "Did I do something wrong?" He reached out and grabbed her by the hips to stop her from leaving.

She laughed. "Hardly. It's just going to be difficult to remove the rest of my clothes while I'm sitting on top of you."

Quickly, he released his grip on her. She stood up and began slowly removing the tight black capris, revealing violet panties matching the brassiere that had been discarded on the floor.

"Super," he murmured, a large smile plastered on his face. Next, she began to remove the panties. Franky hastily removed his own trunks without taking his eyes off of her.

She stood for a moment, her body completely revealed for him to see. His pulse quickened as he stared at her, in awe of her radiance.

"Beyond super," he said, correcting his earlier statement.

He reached out and grabbed her by her waist and kissed her. While their lips were locked, he laid down on the bed, pulling her next to him.

Robin broke the kiss for a moment. "I never dreamed that I'd be sharing my new bed during my first night in it," she smirked.

He kissed her tenderly. "I guess it just worked out for you, then," he teased. Any objections that Robin tried to raise were silenced by voracious kisses.


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Rumors

Rating: M

Author: EudaimonArisornae

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

**WARNING: **_**SPOILERS up to episode 324**_. This is set to take place immediately after **episode 324**.

**A/N:** _Contains a lemon. If you want to avoid the lemon, skip to the end of this chapter._

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Chapter 5

Franky positioned himself above her, carefully trying to support most of his weight on his large arms. His erection brushed in between her legs, throbbing in anticipation.

Robin's hair was spread across the pillow, and he took a moment to admire her brilliant beauty.

"Are you ready?" he whispered, kissing her lightly.

"Yes," she replied, and she kissed him softly. She lightly ran her sweet tongue along the roof of his mouth.

While still kissing him, she slid her hand down his body until her hand was in between in his legs. She grabbed his member and guided it to her opening. Franky breathed in sharply as he felt warm moisture against the tip.

He pressed his forehead against hers and squeezed his eyes closed. Then he thrust himself into her tight opening, and they both gasped in unison.

"Oh, god," Franky murmured, burying his face in her neck. Slowly, he began pumping into her with a steady rhythm. Her hips gracefully rocked into his own.

She put her arms around his neck and raked her fingernails against his the top of his back. "Oh, Robin," he gasped, excited by the multiple pleasurable sensations coming from his back and groin.

"Do you like that?" she breathed, dragging her nails across his flesh again.

"God, yes."

She smiled provocatively. "If I might get a bit unconventional…" she started, letting go of his neck and crossing her arms in front of her with her palms facing upwards.

"_Dos fleur_."

Two slender arms spouted out of Franky's shoulders and proceeded to rake fingernails down the length of his entire back.

"Oh, god," Franky moaned in a mixture of pleasure and surprise. He began to quicken the pace of his lovemaking.

"Super," he gasped, slightly out of breath, as she raked her nails down her back once again.

"Your back is very sensitive, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's the only area that I wasn't able to do anything to."

The newly sprouted pair of arms disappeared. "I'll have to make use of that fact," Robin mused.

Franky leaned his head down and began to suckle on her breasts again. After teasing and prodding her nipples for several minutes, she began to gasp and moan with a greater intensity.

He increased the speed of his thrusts again. Robin's body shuddered beneath him, and he struggled to keep control of his release.

"Oh, Robin," he moaned. Her trembling body was more than he could stand.

She started to breathe quicker, inhaling in short, pleasurable gasps. He stopped kissing her breasts and began to concentrate on his deep, even thrusts.

"Franky," she whispered, pulling his face toward hers.

He kissed her intensely, ramming his tongue into her mouth with force. With great restraint, he still held himself back.

Then she let out a loud moan and arched her back. He felt her opening contract around his member and he moaned as well.

She squeezed her eyes together and faced upward, her face slightly contorted in pleasure.

Robin's look of ecstasy was too much for him to take. With a loud yell, he thrust himself into her and came. He could feel Robin's slender body writhe beneath him, increasing the orgasmic pleasure coursing through his body.

When both of their bodies stopped trembling, Franky carefully slid himself out of her, gasping slightly.

Robin looked up at him, breathing heavily. He leaned forward and kissed her tenderly.

Then he rolled over and positioned himself next to her, propping up his head with his arm as he lay on his side.

Robin turned to face him, and he put his free arm around her.

"I have to say, that's not what I was expecting to happen when I barged in here tonight," Franky admitted.

"Just be grateful I didn't let you leave," she whispered, nuzzling her face against his chest.

He smiled and kissed the top of her head. Then he moved the arm that he had been using to prop up his head and slid it under her gently so that he could hold her more tightly, taking care to keep his large forearm behind her. She nestled against him snugly.

After some time, he realized that her breathing had steadied and she was no longer moving.

"Robin?" he whispered softly. When she didn't reply, he realized that she was asleep.

He rested his head on the pillow, letting his jaw rest on the top of her head.

_She always smells like flowers_, he thought to himself, breathing in the scent of her hair with satisfaction and sighing contently.

Soon, he also drifted to sleep, a smile still lingering on his lips.

--------------------------------------------

A noise from the hallway stirred him from sleep. Franky opened his eyes lazily, squinting in the bright daylight.

He felt something heavy on his right arm. He glanced to his side and saw that Robin was still sleeping against his body, using his arm as a pillow.

_That can't be comfortable_, he thought with a pang of guilt.

Suddenly, the door slammed open with a loud bang. "Hey, Robin, are you up?" Nami shouted loudly, barging into the room.

Franky and Robin jumped up with a start. Franky's jaw dropped as he made eye contact with the orange-haired girl.

Nami started at the pair, speechless.

"Miss Navigator," Robin sputtered.

Franky nervously began scanning the floor for his clothing, but none of his own clothes were in reach. He realized with embarrassment that their clothes were scattered all over the bedroom.

"Ah—sorry, Robin, I didn't think to knock," Nami apologized, still staring at them. Yet she made no effort to leave the room.

"Think you could give us a second?" Franky asked finally, unnerved by her look.

Just then, they heard a voice calling from the distance. "Robin-chwan!" Sanji called. "Is she awake yet, Nami-swan?"

Robin looked at Nami pleadingly as they heard Sanji's footsteps approaching.

"Fine, I'll get rid of him," Nami said quickly. She disappeared into the hall and slammed the door closed.

"She'll be up in a minute, Sanji," Nami yelled from behind the door. "Come on, let's go to the kitchen."

"Alright, Nami-swan!" Sanji cried out.

Robin stared at the door thoughtfully. "That's definitely going to make things interesting," she mused.


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Rumors

Rating: M (This chapter is only a K+ or maybe a T)

Author: EudaimonArisornae

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

**WARNING:**_**SPOILERS up to episode 324**_. This is set to take place immediately after**episode 324**.

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Chapter 6

The anxiety that Franky felt as he took a seat at the breakfast table was on a completely different level from how he had felt when he knocked on Robin's door.

After Nami left Robin's room, Robin barely said a word to him. She asked him to go to breakfast ahead of her so that no one would suspect anything. When he tried to talk to her for a moment, she politely cut him off and told him they would talk later.

Franky wondered if the reason for her cold demeanor was regret. He tapped his finger on the table nervously, hoping that he would be able to talk to her after breakfast.

His thoughts were interrupted as Nami noisily pulled up a chair next to him. "So, Franky, did you sleep well last night?" she asked innocently, the corners of her lips turned up in a wicked grin.

"Ah… what do you mean?" Franky scratched his head.

Sanji entered the room, skillfully balancing several plates on his arms, and began giving everyone their breakfast.

"Well, I was just wondering. I imagine you barely slept at all." Her grin widened.

Franky swallowed nervously. "It was super," he replied with false enthusiasm. _What the hell is she doing? _he thought, irritated.

"'Course he did," Luffy said through a mouthful of food. "He went to bed before us, 'member?" The captain casually grabbed a handful of food off of Usopp's plate and shoved it into his mouth.

"Oi, Luffy, that's mine!" Usopp shouted, grabbing his arm.

Sanji set the last plate on the table and sat down at the seat across from Nami.

"Really?" Nami said innocently. "I figured you would have been up pretty late…"

Sanji stared at Nami for a moment, his expression blank. Then his gaze shifted to Franky.

"I got plenty of sleep," Franky said carefully.

"Say, where did you sleep last night?" Sanji asked. "I didn't see you." His tone lacked any malice, but the suspicious look on his face was plain. Franky swallowed nervously.

Out of the corner of his eye, Franky noticed that Nami's expression. _Well, she sure looks pleased with herself,_ he thought wryly.

"I slept in the workshop," he lied. The cook glanced at him skeptically, and Franky wondered if he was about to call his bluff.

Thankfully, Robin made an appearance at this moment, and Franky was all but forgotten by Sanji as he swiftly rushed to the dark-haired woman.

"Good morning, Robin-chan! Let me get your breakfast," he cooed. "Would you like some coffee with your meal?"

"Please," she smiled warmly, sitting several seats away from Franky. "Thank you, Mr. Cook."

Franky felt a wave of insecurity. _She's probably just trying to be discreet_, he told himself. _That's why she's not sitting closer._

When Robin finished her breakfast and started to leave the table, Franky rose to his feet and started to follow her.

"Oh, Franky," Nami called. "Could you come with me for a second? I need your help with something." She grabbed him by the arm and started dragging him away before he had time to answer.

"What do you need my help with?" he asked doubtfully.

When they were out of earshot of the rest of the crew, she explained. "You don't want anyone to know about your little rendezvous with Robin last night, right?"

He blinked in surprise. "Yeah, if you could keep that secret for a while, that'd be super—"

"I would be willing to do that, but I think we should work out some sort of an arrangement."

"Huh? An arrangement?" Franky pulled his sunglasses down over his eyes and peered at her skeptically. "What are you talking about?"

"I'll agree to keep what I saw this morning a secret, and in exchange, you do whatever I ask of you."

"That's blackmail!" he exclaimed. "I won't do it!"

"Well, I suppose I could accept money instead…" she trailed off.

"I don't have any money!"

"Then I won't keep your secret," she said bluntly.

He looked at her incredulously. "You're serious?" he said finally.

She smirked and nodded her head. "I mean every word."

Franky scowled at her. "You know what? I don't care if you tell anyone."

Nami waved a finger at him. "You might want to think that through first. After all, Robin does seem to care who finds out right now. Unless you don't care how Robin is feeling about all this…"

He stared at her, his jaw slightly agape_. I don't even know what Robin wants to do_, he thought. He wished that she had more time to speak with Robin when they woke up.

"Fine," he answered finally. "What do you need me to do?"

"Meet me in my room in a few minutes," she said smugly, and she turned around and strutted away from him.

When Nami had left, Franky felt a pair of eyes on him. He turned around and noticed that Sanji was standing on the other side of the deck. The cook was staring at him intently, his expression unreadable. A cigarette loosely dangled from his lips.

"What's up with him?" Franky muttered under his breath.

--------------------------------------------

Several hours later, Franky left Nami's room in a foul mood. She had requested numerous alterations to be made to her room. The changes were slight, and he could have finished them in no time had it not been for the navigator's ridiculous demands.

Every time he fixed one thing, she would want something else changed. If it wasn't perfectly to her liking, she would make him redo it. She wanted her bed raised by two centimeters, but after he raised it, she decided it was too tall and said that she wanted it slightly lower. The shelves were spaced a bit too far apart, but the fickle navigator kept changing her mind over how much room she needed on each shelf.

As he stormed out of her room and down the hallway, he heard her call after him.

"I'll need you to come back later," she shouted. He gritted his teeth in annoyance.

His began to calm down once he reached the deck, however. The smell of the salty air of the ocean always relaxed him, and he stopped for a moment to lean on the edge of the railing and peer into the water.

"Oi, Franky!" Luffy called out.

"What?"

"Where have you been? Usopp and I were looking for you."

"I was in Nami's room," he told him.

"Oh, okay. Hey, do you want to fish with us? We're trying to fill up the aquarium!"

Franky laughed. "Sure, in a little bit."

"Alright!" Luffy shouted happily.

Franky desperately wanted to try to talk to Robin before he got sidetracked by another crewmate. After several minutes of searching, he finally found her seated elegantly on a lounge chair with a book cradled in her lap.

Smiling, he took a seat in the empty chair next to her. "I've been trying to talk to you all day," he told her.

"I've been here for most of it," she said, glancing up from her book. "What is it?"

"Well, I think we need to talk."

"What about?"

He gaped at her. "What do you mean, what about? You know exactly what I'm talking about!" he exclaimed. The feelings of insecurity that had been troubling him during breakfast washed over him again.

She smiled faintly. "Well?"

He stared at her, wide-eyed with his jaw hanging open. "About—about last night!" he stuttered finally.

"Last night?" She looked at him with puzzlement.

"What?" he cried out. "We spent the night together! How can you not remember that?"

She stared at him blankly.

"We—we slept together!"

Robin laughed softly, daintily covering her mouth with her hand. "My, Franky, was it that hard to say? You certainly don't strike me as the bashful type."

Franky's jaw dropped. "You evil woman!" he said loudly, feeling a hot blush spread across his cheeks. "You did that just to see if I'd get embarrassed?"

She smiled at him. "I hope you won't hold a grudge against me for it." Her blue eyes sparkled mischievously.

Franky couldn't help but smile back at her. "Yeah, I probably won't. But I have been trying to talk to you since breakfast."

"I noticed that Miss Navigator dragged you away when you tried to follow me," Robin noted with amusement. "What did she want?"

"Actually, I need to talk to you about that. When she barged in on us this morning—"

"HEY, FRANKY," Luffy's loud voice bellowed from the distance.

"Dammit," Franky said. "I wonder what he wants."

"COME HERE QUICK, IT'S THE COOLEST THING EVER!" Luffy shouted. He thought that he heard Chopper and Usopp yelling as well, although their voices didn't pierce the constant dyne of the sea as effectively as Luffy's.

"Sounds like you better hurry," Robin told him, smiling faintly.

Franky frowned with disappointment. "I'll talk to you again later, okay?"

She leaned forward and placed her hand on top of his. "Come to my room again tonight," she said softly.

"That sounds wonderful," Franky replied with a grin


	7. Chapter 7

Title: Rumors

Rating: M

Author: EudaimonArisornae

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

**WARNING:**_**SPOILERS up end of the Enies Lobby arc**_. This is set to take place immediately after**episode 324**.

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Chapter 7

"And then, the entire army ran away, quaking in fear, after I fired a single shot!" Usopp bragged, raising his fist in the air.

"Really?" Chopper cried, his huge eyes staring up at the long-nosed man in amazement.

"Yes, it's true! And did I tell you there were over ten thousand men in the army, too?"

"Amazing!" Chopper squealed, his eyes sparkling.

Sanji chuckled lightly, amused by Chopper's gullibility. He puffed on a cigarette and leaned against the rail of the Thousand Sunny.

Bright lights reflected off of the calm ocean, bathing the large ship in moonlight. _So romantic_, Sanji thought wistfully. He heard light footsteps behind him, and he eagerly turned around with his arms outstretched, hoping that Nami had come to enjoy the beautiful evening with him.

"What the hell are you doing?" Zoro grunted, smacking Sanji's hands out of the way.

"Dammit," Sanji yelled. "I thought you were Nami-san." He leaned back on the rail, assuming his original position.

"Why would you think I was Nami?" Zoro asked suspiciously.

Sanji scowled. "Your footsteps sounded like delicate, feminine footsteps. Of course I assumed it would be Nami, or even Robin-chan."

"Feminine footsteps? Just because I don't stomp around like an angry bull doesn't mean my footsteps are feminine!" he sneered at him angrily. "Maybe if you didn't buy such oversized shoes, you wouldn't make so much racket."

"My shoes fit me perfectly, you shitty marimo…" Sanji started.

"Hey, come on, you guys," Chopper called out to the arguing men. "You two are always fighting!"

Sanji glanced at Zoro darkly. "I'm going to go find Nami-san," he muttered. Zoro glared back at him.

The cook slowly walked to the other end of the ship, searching for the orange-haired navigator. Yet before he could find her, he was accosted by Luffy.

"Hey, Sanji, give me some food. I'm starving!" he exclaimed.

"You just ate an hour ago, Luffy." Sanji took a long drag off of his cigarette.

"But I'm hungry," the Captain protested.

"Alright, fine," Sanji conceded. He started to walk toward the kitchen. Luffy eagerly followed him.

"Do you know where Nami-san went?" Sanji asked him when they reached the kitchen.

"Yeah, she went to her room a little while ago," Luffy replied.

"Already?" He raised a curled eyebrow in surprise. "It's a bit early to sleep."

"Well, she said something about needing Franky to come with her."

"What?" Sanji blurted in surprise.

"Yeah," Luffy went on. "He was in her room for a long time this afternoon, too. Franky told me."

Sanji's face darkened. The two _had_ disappeared for several hours that day. The cook had been slightly suspiciously after Nami and Franky's banter at the breakfast table, and then their private conversation after breakfast.

A wave of jealousy passed over him. "Oh, my Nami-swan, how could you do this to me?" he wailed.

"What are you talking about?" Luffy asked.

The crestfallen cook buried his face in his hands. "You don't want to know."

--------------------------------------------

Franky tapped on Robin's door softly. The door opened abruptly, and a slender hand pulled him inside. He grunted in surprise.

Robin was sitting on the edge of the bed with her arms crossed in front of her and her palms facing upward. The arms that yanked him into the room were sprouting from the inner door frame.

He grinned at her and carefully shut the door closed behind him. As soon as the door slipped into the latch with a loud click, he quickly closed the distance between them and pulled her into a passionate kiss.

At first, he felt her mouth tighten in surprise, but then she softened the kiss and started to return the soft brushes of his tongue against her own.

"Sorry, couldn't wait to do that any longer," Franky said with amusement when they pulled their lips apart. He continued to hold her firmly in his arms. He studied her unreadable expression with a mixture of joy and apprehension; he was happy to be with her again, but her own feelings were so difficult to determine.

"You look troubled," Robin stated mildly. He averted his gaze for a moment and loosened his grip on her. She reassuring put her hand on his arm.

"It's been a crazy day, that's all," he replied quickly. "Your navigator's practically made me a slave."

"How did she manage to do that?"

"She told me that she'll tell the rest of the crew about this morning if I didn't help her out with a few things," he said, forcing a laugh. "I wasn't really sure what you'd want me to do, so I went with it."

Robin laughed softly. "That sounds like something Miss Navigator would do."

He shook his head disapprovingly. "She's scary," he noted.

"Thank you, Franky," she said sincerely.

"Huh? For what?"

"For going along with it," she told him. "I think it would less trouble if we kept this a secret for the time being."

Franky sighed. "I don't know if dealing with that insane woman is what I'd call less trouble," he remarked. He gently brushed a few stray strands of dark hair away from her face. "But if it's what you want me to do, I'll do it."

She leaned forward and kissed his lightly on his cheek. "Thank you," she said again, wrapping her arms around him.

"So just to be clear," Franky started, cupping her chin and pressing his lips against her, "Is this all still okay?"

"Of course," she laughed, pulling him into another kiss.

And just like that, the anxious feeling that had been weighing upon his shoulders melted away. He was a little surprised that one woman could have such a profound effect on his mood.

As they kissed, Franky felt the time slip away, losing track of anything but the sweet taste of her mouth. Without realizing it, he found himself lying next to her in the bed once again, half-undressed and tracing his fingers across her lacy black undergarments.

He broke away from her mouth for a moment and gently started to plant kisses across her neck. He inhaled deeply, turned on by the light scent of flowers that always seemed to cling to her, like the faintest trace of perfume. He didn't know how much time had passed since he first came into her room, but he silently wished that time could stop, if only for a little while.

"Franky," she breathed softly, arching her back slightly as he continued to delicately press his lips against her neck. "Don't stop doing that." Her fingernails lightly dug into the back of his shoulder.

"I won't," he mumbled softly into her ear, nibbling on her earlobe. He slid a hand across her supple breasts, tracing his fingers against her undergarments.

And then they were naked, with him lying on his back and the slender girl on top of him, her body curved forward and her lips against his. Soft tendrils of black hair brushed the sides of his face and neck. He buried one of his hands in her hair, running the silky strands through his fingers. He felt a pang of regret, wishing that he could still feel the way he used to.

Robin sat up for a moment. Unexpectedly, Franky felt her slide onto his throbbing erection, deeply thrusting herself against him. He opened his mouth in surprise, letting out a satisfied moan. He propped himself up into a sitting position and kissed her.

With the dark-haired woman on top of him, Franky found himself having a much more difficult time controlling his release. Her motions were steady and fervid, thrusting him deep into her, and causing a shockwave of pleasure to course throughout his body.

"You might need to slow down for a second, Robin," he gasped finally, holding onto her shoulders tightly. The merciless woman made no effort to slow her pace.

She smiled wickedly and leaned over until her lips were barely touching his. "Is that the best you can do?" she taunted.

His eyes widened as he met her intense gaze. "What a wicked woman you can be," he murmured teasingly. Pulling her tightly against him, he quickened his own pace, using all his willpower to hold back his release.


	8. Chapter 8

Title: Rumors

Rating: M

Author: EudaimonArisornae

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

**WARNING: ****SPOILERS up ****end of the ****Enies**** Lobby arc**. This story is set to take place immediately after **episode 324**.

A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long to get chapter up. My goal is to have this story completed in the next month, so thank you for being patient!

* * *

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Chapter 8

Franky's concept of time remained lost as he continued his lovemaking with Robin. He ran his fingers down the curves of her body, both of them breathing heavily. The only thing that Franky could hear was their noises of pleasure and the sound of the ocean gently lolling outside the ship.

Robin winced suddenly, and clasped her hands around the top of his head, his hair tightly in her lithe fingers. She gasped deeply, pressing her forehead against his.

He took care to keep hitting the same spot, keeping his motions quick and steady, while still trying to contain his own release.

Then she crushed her lips against his, moans of pleasure escaping her lips as they pressed against his. Frantically, their tongues swirled around each others as they kept up their steady rhythm.

"Robin, I can't hold—" he started to mumble as she continued to frantically kiss him, but his orgasm overtook him. He struggled to suppress a loud yell as he released himself inside of her. Her fingernails scraped his scalp painfully, but he barely noticed it over the other sensations running through his body.

Robin shuddered on top of him, and after a moment, her body relaxed and slumped on top of him.

He tried shifting his position slightly, and realized that he was still inside of her. Warm liquid trickled between his legs.

Robin wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed contently. "See," she mused, "I knew you could hold out a bit longer."

He chuckled lightly and hugged his arms around her slender waist. "You don't show any mercy, you know that?"

"Perhaps not," she said sleepily.

He stroked her hair with one hand, and he realized that he was a bit exhausted after their lovemaking.

As the minutes ticked by, Franky felt his eyelids grow heavier as he held Robin against his chest. He unhappily realized that if he stayed with her much longer, they would probably both drift off to sleep. "Hey, Robin," he said quietly.

"Yes?" she murmured.

"I probably should go sleep back in the men's sleeping quarters tonight."

"Why?" she asked, propping herself up on his chest and looking at him questioningly.

"The more I stay here, the more likely the crew will figure out what we've been doing. That cook was already asking me where I slept last night."

She rested her head on his shoulder again. "And what did you tell him?"

"I said I slept in the workshop, but…" he started to reply.

"Just tell him that again," she interrupted softly. "He has no reason to suspect anything."

"Are you sure?" he asked, trying to hide the relief in his voice. He did not want to leave her.

She nodded, gently rubbing her face against his chest. "Unless you want to leave…" she trailed off.

Franky put his hand on her chin and pushed her lips against his. "Hell no, I don't want to leave," he said happily, a large grin plastered on his face. He pulled her into a kiss.

After a minute or so, she pulled away and laughed suddenly. "Franky…"

"What is it?" he asked, a bit alarmed.

She shifted her hips, and he felt a faint wave of pleasure near his groin. He realized that the tip of his member was still resting inside of her.

"We only finished a few moments ago, and you're already getting aroused again," she said with amusement. She gently thrust against him, and he felt his erection grow stiffer.

Grinning, he thrust his hips until his erection was completely immersed within her again. "I guess I just can't help myself around you."

"Alright," she conceded. "One more time."

"Super," Franky grinned, kissing her again.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Sanji awoke with a gasp. Hands shaking, he groped around for a pack of cigarette. He desperately needed the euphoric sensation of nicotine to calm his nerves.

Quietly, he slipped out of bed, not watching to disturb anyone who was still asleep. He clenched the bent cigarette in his mouth and tiptoed out of the room.

Yet his heart began to beat faster when he realized that once again, Franky had not slept in the barracks. In fact, the only person who has slept in his bed that night was Usopp. Chopper had claimed the infirmary as his own room, and Sanji knew that Zoro was prone to sleeping in the crow's nest—or anyplace he happened to lie down for a few minutes—but Franky's bed was also untouched.

Sanji deeply inhaled the pungent cigarette smoke, and he felt his anxiety start to abate slightly. Still, the thought that Franky had slept elsewhere once again troubled him.

Sanji peered at the early morning sky. The sky was starting to turn a lighter shade of blue, but the sun had not yet peeked over the gently rolling waves.

He shivered, although he could not tell if it was due to the chill of the early morning air or because he was recalling his nightmare.

___Sanji__ rubbed his eyes and looked around in wonder. __"The __Baratie__ How did I get here?"_

___He stared at the commotion around him. The __Baratie__ was obviously preparing for a wedding. The fins of the restaurant ship were out, and rows and rows of chairs had been set up in front of a newly-erected altar. Hundreds of guests were there, all dressed in elegant dresses and tuxedos. He recognized many of the faces, and he was surprised to see them all congregated in the same place._

___Sanji__ looked down and realized that he, too, was wearing a tuxedo, with a red rose jutting out of his breast pocket. _

___"Come on, __Sanji__, get over here!" he heard a voice call from near the altar, although he couldn't tell to whom the voice belonged._

___He wandered near the altar, and music began to play. The doors to the __Baratie__ flew open and a wedding procession marched outside._

___"How are you feeling, __Sanji__?" someone shouted again. __"A little bit anxious?"__ He still didn't recognize the voice._

_Is this my wedding?__he__ thought with amazement. After all, who else would have their wedding at __Baratie_

___Suddenly, the music changed, and the bride gracefully stepped outside._

___Sanji__ felt his heart skip a beat when he saw that the bride was __Nami_

___She glowed radiantly in a flowing white gown. Her hair was styled upward on her head, with a few delicate tangerine curls framing her face. _

___"__Nami__-swan!" he cried out happily, and he began to run toward her. He felt his heart swell with joy as he thought of marrying this beautiful woman._

___Suddenly, a strong hand grabbed his shoulder and forcefully jerked him back._

___"What do you think you're doing? Stay away from my bride," __Franky__ said menacingly. _

___"What?" __Sanji__ cried out. __"Your bride?"_

___"Yeah," __Franky__ sneered. "This is my wedding, after all."_

Sanji tried to push the memory of the nightmare out of his head. He finished his cigarette and flicked it into the water below.

He realized there was an easy way to find out if he was being paranoid for no reason. Slowly, he began to make his way back to the inner corridors of the ship. He would check the workshop that Franky was allegedly sleeping in, and see if the shipwright was indeed in there.

When he reached the door, he felt his heart begin to pump faster. If Franky wasn't in there, then it could only mean that his worst nightmare was true, and he was with Nami.

Bracing himself, he opened the door and silently peered around the room.

It was empty.

"That shitty cyborg..." he croaked with despair. "How could he take my Nami-san away from me?"


	9. Chapter 9

Title: Rumors

Rating: M

Author: EudaimonArisornae

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

WARNING: _SPOILERS up __end of the __Enies__ Lobby arc__. This story is set to take place immediately after **episode 324**._

* * *

Chapter 9

A week passed, and to Franky, the mood aboard the Thousand Sunny seemed to be growing steadily more uptight.

Rather than go to lunch that day, Franky opted to lock himself in his workshop for the afternoon. That way, he could stay away from the tedious demands of Nami and the icy glares of Sanji.

Franky knew he was banging his hammer a bit louder than necessary, but it was the only thing he could do to calm his nerves. He had tried to make light conversation with Sanji at breakfast that morning, and he was startled by the cook's steely response.

"You don't know how to treat a lady," the blonde-haired man had sneered, in response to Franky's idle comment about some of the new fish in the aquarium. The cook had then taken an angry drag off of his cigarette and threateningly waved the cigarette in Franky's direction. "And don't even try to deny what's going on with her, either. The only person in this crew I'll tolerate lying to me is Usopp."

Then Sanji had stormed into the kitchen, leaving Franky standing by himself with his mouth agape.

Worse yet had been Robin's reaction when he had told her. "Well, that's an interesting development, but it's still just his suspicions right now," she had mused nonchalantly, brushing a hand against his cheek lightly, pressing her body against his. "I think it might be entertaining to let them speculate a bit longer."

Franky wanted to protest, but he had a hard time going against her will when her body was so close to him. He wanted to tell her he would rather just tell the truth and deal with the consequences. Instead, he felt himself being drawn into a kiss.

"Besides," she had murmured, her soft lips gently grazing his lips and chin as she spoke, "the rest of the crew are a bit more oblivious. It will certainly take them some time to figure out what's been going on between us. Don't you think it will be amusing to see how the rumors play out?"

And he had sighed reluctantly, still unable to object to anything she told him. "Alright, if that's what you want to do," was his only response.

"Idiot," he muttered to himself, replaying the conversation in his head over and over. He gritted his teeth together, momentarily forgetting that he was still holding several nails in his mouth.

"Dammit!" he shouted, spitting the nails onto the ground.

--------------------------------------------

Sanji was not in a much better state. After everyone was done eating lunch, he went outside, took a position standing near the front of the ship, and started to chain smoke.

Seven cigarettes later, his state of mind had darkened considerably. He knew that he and Nami had no relationship besides being nakama, and anything beyond that relationship was superficial at best. The tempestuous navigator only flirted with him if she wanted a favor, and every time Sanji tried to make an advance on her, he was promptly met with a painful whack to the back of his skull.

However, the fact that Nami refused to be with him was not what was troubling the cook. What truly perplexed him was that a free-spirited cyborg who was nearly twice her age and paraded around in his underwear all day long had been able to get so close to Nami in just a few short weeks.

"Uh, Sanji?" Usopp said timidly, approaching him from behind.

Sanji tightened his jaw, crushing the cigarette that had been lightly resting between his teeth. The more he stewed over the Nami situation, the more furious he became at the sheer audacity of Franky. He hadn't even been a member of the crew for two weeks, and he was already taking advantage of the woman that Sanji had sworn to protect.

"Sanji?" Usopp repeated. When the lean cook still did not respond, the long-nosed man hesitantly tapped him on the shoulder.

Sanji jolted in surprise. He had been brooding so intensely that he had failed to notice the person standing behind him.

"You okay? You've been standing there for a really long time," Usopp said, scratching the back of his head nervously. "We were getting kind of worried about you." Usopp tilted his head toward Luffy and Chopper, who were standing further down the deck, playing a game that Sanji could not identify.

Noticing Sanji and Usopp looking at him, Luffy waved his arms at them energetically. "Oi, Sanji!" he called out loudly.

Sanji nodded his head in acknowledgement, and turned his attention back toward Usopp.

"I'm fine," the cook said coldly. "Just clearing my head."

"Uh, well, listen," Usopp said nervously, "It's kind of hard not to notice how you've been acting toward Franky for the past couple days, so I was kind of thinking something might be bothering you."

Sanji narrowed his visible eye at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Er, well, you've been kind of short with him, and, well, you kinda stormed off after you talked to him this morning…"

"I just don't like him," he interrupted curtly, flicking the butt of his cigarette overboard.

"Oi!" Luffy shouted again, running toward Sanji with Chopper in tow. "Did you find out what's wrong, Usopp?"

"Nothing is wrong," Sanji growled, loud enough for the captain to hear him.

"Aw, just tell us, Sanji," Luffy whined. "Then you can make us some meat."

"You just ate lunch!" he snapped.

Irritated, Sanji stuck another cigarette in his mouth and lit it up.

"Well?" Luffy asked impatiently. "He's our new nakama! Why don't you like him?"

The cook sighed reluctantly, exhaling smoke through his nostrils.

"Is it kind of like how you always fight with Zoro?" Chopper piped in.

Sanji scoffed. "No, that shitty marimo makes me hate him for completely different reasons." He shook his head slowly and took several long drags from his cigarette. He was surprised the trio was waiting so patiently for his reply.

"Alright," he said finally. "I think there's something going on between Franky and Nami."

"Huh?" said Luffy.

"Why do you think that?" Usopp asked, scratching his head in confusion. "I don't think I've noticed anything strange."

Sanji rubbed his temple. "Nami keeps demanding him to do things for her, and he does it. He's even doing things for her that ___I_ used to do for her."

"What's the big deal? Nami makes everybody do things for her," Luffy pointed out.

"Has she made you do anything for her since Franky joined the crew?" Sanji replied sharply.

Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper remained silent.

"Is that a no?" He sighed with frustration. "See what I mean? They also keep disappearing for long periods of time, alone."

"That doesn't necessarily mean there's anything going on…" Usopp trailed off.

Luffy scratched the side of his head in confusion. "I don't see why it matters. I'm glad she's not asking me to do stuff for her all the time!"

"He lied to me about sleeping in his workshop at night," Sanji divulged. He leaned back against the railing and slumped in defeat.

"O-Oh," Usopp stammered. "W-well, even if it is true, there's still Robin for you to flirt with, right?"

"It's not just that," Sanji said passionately. "Nami-san deserves to be treated like a goddess, with people catering to her every desire. That shitty hunk of metal couldn't possibly understand the romantic treatment that Nami-san needs." Sanji took the last drag off of his cigarette, and regretfully tossed it into the sea below. "I'm going to go figure out what to prepare for dinner tonight," he said, abruptly ending the discussion.

"Is he going to be okay?" Chopper asked when Sanji was out of earshot.

"I don't really know, but if what he's saying is true, there's nothing any of us can do to fix it for him," Usopp replied solemnly.

Luffy looked back and forth between the two of them with confusion. "Eh, I still don't get it. Why is he so mad?"


	10. Chapter 10

Title: Rumors

Rating: M

Author: EudaimonArisornae

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

**WARNING: **_**SPOILERS up **__**end of the **__**Enies**__** Lobby arc**__. This story is set to take place immediately after **episode 324**. Lemon warning for this chapter._

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_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Chapter 10_

Franky was having trouble falling asleep. He lay behind Robin, one armed wrapped across her ribcage, the other arm stretched above his head. He had thought that he would feel drowsy enough to catch a few hours of sleep after their coitus, but sleep failed to come.

For a long time, he watched Robin sleeping, observing the way her chest rose and fell as she breathed. Occasionally, he would lightly run his hands down her side and hips, admiring her luscious curves.

He slid his hands back up her body and let his arm rest in the crevice of her side. As he continued to watch her rest so comfortably in his arms, he began to feel an unfamiliar sense of calm and contentness.

At that moment, it became clear to him why he was so bothered by Sanji's snide words. If Sanji failed to accept him as a crewmember, how would the rest of the crew feel about him? Would the rest of the crew also feel distrustful toward him if they knew about him and Robin?

Franky knew he was the type of guy who frequently made reckless choices, rarely considering the consequences. Yet he also had no doubt in his mind that being with Robin was a good decision—probably one of the best and more rewarding decisions he had ever made in his life.

Still, he was terrified that being with her before the rest of the crew was completely comfortable with him was going to destroy his chances of being able to stay with the Strawhats.

___If I can't be with this crew, I can't be with Robin,_ he fretted silently.

A new wave of anguish washed over him, destroying his moment of calmness, and Franky pulled her closer, nuzzling her neck gently. He kissed her earlobe softly so that he would not wake her.

He decided to go out on the deck for a little while to see if the cool air of the sea would help him sleep. He kissed the back of her neck and slipped out of bed.

The ever-changing climate of the grand line was not on his side, however; instead of the chill that he wanted, the climate was hot and sticky. After a few minutes, he headed to his workshop to escape the humidity.

As he opened the door, he heard a voice and jumped in surprise.

Robin laughed softly. "I didn't mean to startle you."

She sat on one of the tables he had set up in the room with her legs crossed. She was wearing a silky black nightgown that he had never seen before. Of course, they had not exactly been wearing much of anything at all each night he spent with her.

"Where did you go?" she asked, tilting her head to side.

"I just need some fresh air," he said, finally finding his voice. "You look wonderful," he added.

She smiled coyly. "I saw you were awake, and I assumed you might come in here. I figured as long as we're awake…" she trailed off, her voice low and seductive. The corners of her mouth turned up slightly in a playful smile.

___Super_, Franky thought to himself, walking over to her and kissing her. He was not sure how long he could have kept his hands off of her in that nightgown.

As they ardently kissed, he glided his large hands across her warm, luscious body. Franky knocked away the tools that were cluttering the table's surface, and scooted Robin back a bit further until she was firmly seated. He uncrossed her legs and parted them slightly, letting one hand slide slowly up her thigh.

Robin pulled him against her roughly. As Robin entangled her body with his, Franky wondered was more ferocious—the embrace or her kisses. Either way, he was indifferent. Whatever this woman wanted to put him through, he would endure it, just for a few more seconds with her.

___Even if __I have to endure a __slave-driving navigator and sharp-tongued cook __with a tendency to hold grudges, or get down on my hands and knees and beg to stay with this crew, I'll do it, _he thought.

He tenderly brushed hair away from her face and kissed her again, taking great pains to refrain from grinning like a fool each time their lips touched together.

Franky noticed that her ample breasts looked like they were ready to burst out of the top of her nightgown, with only a thin layer of lace keeping them in their place. He felt his erection grow harder, and he let it brush the sides of her knees to let her know how much he wanted her.

Silky finger slipped into his underwear and grabbed his member tightly. He gasped in pleasure, nearly losing his footing.

Robin's hand released him and started to slide off his underwear. They slid to the floor, and he kicked them off of his feet.

He kept one hand behind her back to hold her in a sitting position, and let the other hand rub across her breasts and then trail down the rest of her body until he reached the hem of the nightgown. Hungrily, he realized she wasn't wearing anything underneath it.

His erection throbbed painfully, crying to be inside of her. He pulled up the hem of the nightgown, exposing her nether regions, and pulled her toward him.

As he readily slipped inside of her, he felt a wave of euphoria across his entire body. Being inside of her while he was standing was a completely new sensation.

Robin wrapped her legs around him with a vice-like grip, and he hugged her tightly against him to keep her upper body near him. Her breasts bulged as they pressed against his chest, and he kissed her with great need.

As they continued to thrust, Franky found that he was having a difficult time keeping his knees from buckling. Sometimes, the waves of pleasure they ran across him were almost more than he could take. Yet he did not want to be anywhere but inside of her, so with great pains, he made sure that he remained standing.

When her fingernails dug into his back, he knew that she was close to climaxing. She let out a delightful moan of pleasure, and he could feel her muscles contracting around his member.

He nipped at the side of her neck, and concentrated on hitting that same spot inside of her. He could feel himself drawing close as well, and he prayed that his legs would hold.

"Franky," she gasped hugged him against her, nails raking into the tender flesh of his back.

He gasped in return, and he felt himself release inside of her.

The climax was too intense, and he felt his knees start to buckle. Yet Robin continued to hold him tightly, and when the waves of ecstasy started to subside after a few moments, he realized he was still on his feet. He also realized that he was_exhausted_.

Wearily, he helped Robin off the table, replaced his underwear, and kissed her softly. "Want to go back to your room?"

She nodded in agreement, and he put his arm around her as they headed out the door.

"That's awfully brash of you," she commented, gesturing at his arm, as they walked down the hallway toward her room.

He looked down at her and smiled. "Well, if anyone sees us right now, they're going to be pretty suspicious anyway. Besides, I like having my arm around you."

As they reached her door, Robin smiled at him, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Think you'll be able to sleep now, Franky?"

Although he was definitely tired, when he looked down to answer her, he noticed again how the nightgown could barely contain her breasts. He kissed her lightly.

"Well, that's going to depend on how long you're wearing that outfit," he told her as they walked inside of her room.

Robin clicked the door closed and looked at him devilishly. "I suppose I'll just have to take it off then," she said, and she started to pull the nightgown upward.

"That doesn't really change the situation," he protested, but by that point she was naked, and he decided that maybe putting off sleep just a little bit longer wouldn't be that big of a deal.

_--------------------------------------------_

Sanji stood around the corner from Robin's room with his back against the wall.

His body felt like it was made out of cement, and for several minutes, he just stood there in stunned silence.

He had been hoping to get some sort of definite confirmation of Franky's affair with Nami so the rest of the crew would definitely believe him. Never had he imagined that he would see the cyborg disappear into Robin's room instead. Not only was the cyborg in her room, but she was wearing nothing but ___negligee_.

"Robin… chan…?" he squeaked finally, not sure of what he should do.

As each minute ticked away, however, he felt his surprise fading away. Instead, a deep rage began to brew inside of him.

Finally, comprehensive words began to form in his mind.

___Franky__ is two-timing __Nami__ and Robin_.

The anger bubbled inside of him, more hotly than before, and it threatened to spill over.

___Franky__ is two-timing __Nami__ and Robin_! he screamed inside of his head, over and over again. Finally, he found the ability to move.

Keeping his footsteps as quiet as possible, he walked to the front of Robin's door, put his hands in his pockets, and raised one leg above his head.

___I'm going to kick in the door and turn that shitty __robot__ into a pile of tin cans_, he thought furiously, preparing for the kick.

_B_ut a muffled giggle from the other side of the door gave him pause. With great difficulty, he forced his leg back down to the ground, and made himself trudge away from her room.

Despite his overwhelming anger, he realized bursting into Robin's room in the middle of the night would only serve to humiliate and embarrass her, especially if she wasn't decent…

___Don't think about Robin__-__chan__ being undressed with __that shitty man!_ he berated himself.

Sanji decided to wait until the morning to give Franky his just desserts. As much as he did not want to hurt Nami and Robin's feeling by telling them they were being two-timed, he had to defend their honor.

___Just wait, you shitty hunk of metal_, he thought darkly. ___This is the last night you'll get to rest in the arms of a lady for a long, long time._

* * *

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_A/N: One more chapter to go on this story, and then it will be complete. Thanks to everyone who has read this far!_


	11. Chapter 11

Title: Rumors

Rating: M

Author: EudaimonArisornae

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

**WARNING: **_**SPOILERS up end of the Enies Lobby arc**__**. **_This story is set to take place immediately after **episode 324**.

A/N: This is the final chapter. I apologize that it took me so long, but thank you for reading this far.

--

Chapter 11

"Alright, I'm going to breakfast. See ya there soon?" Franky asked Robin.

She paused from pulling up her stocking. "Yes, I'll be up in a few minutes."

He kissed her quickly, and disappeared out of her room.

Although Franky had barely slept the night before, he felt completely refreshed. He even felt ready to face whatever ridiculous chore Nami had for him.

He was a bit surprised when he sat down at the breakfast table and Nami was not there yet—usually Sanji tried to serve her first—but he shrugged it off and started to engage in a conversation with Luffy and Usopp.

Sanji came out with an arm full of plates, and dropped a plate on each place setting. Franky paid him little attention, even when he walked beside Franky and stopped.

Suddenly, Sanji's shoe connected with the side of his head, and he felt himself fly out of his chair. He slammed against the wall, causing some of the wood to splinter in the process.

"Sanji, what the heck are you doing?" Luffy screamed. Chopper squealed in fear.

"Oi, what was that for, you idiot?" Zoro barked, and the green-haired man leapt out of his chair and placed a hand on the hilt of one of his swords.

Franky tried to pull himself to his feet, but a large black shoe connected with his face again, knocking him down once more. The loud, tinny clack of Sanji's hard shoes colliding with his metallic nose made his ears ring.

The other men rushed over to Sanji and tried to restrain him, but the cook struggled to kick out at Franky.

"Stop it, Sanji!" Luffy yelled, wrapping his arms around the cook's waist. Chopper, who had now transformed into his heavy point form, grabbed one of his arms and held it firmly.

Usopp jumped in front of him, and held up a hand to Zoro, who now brandished a katana. "Oi, hold him back, don't cut him!"

"What the hell is your problem?" Franky shouted. He covered his nose with his hand, and he could tell blood was trickling down his face.

Sanji stopped resisting for a moment, and gave Franky a look of pure hatred. "My problem is your womanizing," he said darkly.

"My _what_?" Franky asked, scratching his head. "What are you talking about?"

The cook lunged more ferociously than before, taking the men by surprise. He managed to break free and aim a dangerous kick at Franky's head.

This time, the shipwright was prepared. He held out one arm to block him, and braced himself with his footing. When the kick connected with his steel body, the momentum caused him to slide back several inches, but there was no damage.

"What's going on in here?" Nami asked, entering the kitchen. Robin was right behind her.

_Shit_, Franky thought. _I don't think there's any way to get around this._

"Nami-san, Robin-chan, I regret that I have to tell you this," Sanji started to say. His dark gaze remained fixed on Franky the entire time. "But this shitty robot has been lying to you."

"What?" Nami asked. Franky glanced over at Robin. Her expression was unreadable.

"I am deeply sorry," the cook rumbled on, "and nothing pains me more than to say harmful words to a lady, but this is something you must know.

"This man has been two-timing you." Sanji ended his declaration with another barrage of kicks. Franky scrambled to block them.

"Sanji, what the hell are you talking about?" Nami asked, crossing her arms impatiently.

"Oi, idiot cook, stop trying to fight him and tell us what the hell you're rambling on about," Zoro growled, grabbing Sanji by the shirt and yanking him backwards.

"Franky," Nami said, turning to him, "Are you two-timing with another guy on the ship?"

"No!" Franky shouted in irritation. "Why the hell would you even ask me that?"

She turned to Franky. "Okay, Sanji-kun, then what are you trying to say?"

"I'm sorry, Nami-san, it's with another woman," Sanji said regretfully, still trying to pull away from Zoro, Luffy, and Usopp.

"How could he two-time with another woman? I'm the only woman besides Robin, and he sure as hell isn't two-timing with me."

"Wh-what did you say?" Sanji stuttered. A look of confusion slowly formed on his face.

Robin smiled and nodded at Franky. "It seems we need to come clean, doesn't it?"

Dumbfounded, Franky nodded back at her. "Yeah, looks like it."

"Cook-san," Robin started, gracefully crossing her arms in front of her. "Franky and I have had a liaison since our first night aboard the Thousand Sunny."

"Had a what?" Luffy asked.

"They've being seeing each other," Usopp hissed at him.

"Well of course they've seen each other," Luffy replied. "We all see each other all the time."

Usopp slapped his palm to his forehead in frustration. "That's not what I meant!"

"We have been sleeping together, Captain-san," Robin said. Franky felt himself blush at her bluntness.

Luffy laughed. "Oh, what didn't you just say so?"

"Well, at least he understands what that means," Usopp sighed with relief.

"Oi, just a minute," Sanji said. "What about Nami-san? Wasn't he also pursuing you?"

Nami knocked Sanji on the back of the head. "As if I'd put up with that! Where did you get that idea?"

He winced, painfully rubbing the knot forming where she had just hit him. "He was always doing things for you, and he would be in your room for hours on end…"

"Oh, _that_," Nami said. "Well, you see, I had asked Franky to do me some favors because—"

"Because she knew what was going on between me and Robin, and she blackmailed me," Franky interjected.

Nami blushed, and smiled cutely. "Well, I suppose that is what I did. But I had to, since he didn't have any beli to pay me for my silence."

Zoro winced. "She says that like it's a normal explanation..." he muttered to himself.

Sanji's body physically slumped. "So it's only been Robin-chan." He hung his head and sighed heavily "I guess I have no choice but to apologize then," he said finally.

He took a few steps toward Franky. "I apologize. I thought that you were two-timing Nami-san and Robin-chan."

"Well, I guess I can forgive you for…" Suddenly, Sanji's foot flew up in the air again, striking Franky on the left side of his skull. "What the hell was that for?" he shouted, rubbing his head. He noticed that the kick was not quite as forceful as the previous kicks he had administered.

"That was a warning. You treat Robin-chan like your existence is solely to make her happy, or I'll beat you into a new set of pots and pans," Sanji declared. "Now, I'm going to go get Nami-san and Robin-chan's breakfast."

Despite having to hold a napkin over his nose for half of the meal to stop his bloody nose, Franky found this breakfast to be the most enjoyable meal he had ever had aboard the Thousand Sunny. The awkwardness, the tension… all of it seemed to melt away.

He also could sit next to Robin without fearing that people would start to catch onto their relationship. He smiled at her, grabbed her small hand, and gave it a quick squeeze. She returned the smile, and motioned for him to rest his hand on her thigh. He happily complied.

"Well, Franky may have taken my Robin-chan away from me, but at least I still have Nami-san," Sanji said, trying to copy Franky's gesture and place his hand on her thigh.

"Don't even think about it, Sanji-kun," she said cheerfully, whacking him on the back of his head.

Despite himself, Franky started to laugh. He really loved this crew, and it looked like he might be able to hang around with them, after all.

He grinned at Robin. Most importantly, he would get to stay with her.

_I think I'm going to like being a pirate_, he thought happily.


End file.
